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70416-0003 - Ebisubashi Bridge, Osaka, 1890s

Osaka 1890s
Ebisubashi Bridge

Artist Kimbei Kusakabe
Publisher Kimbei Kusakabe
Medium Albumen Print
Period Meiji
Location Osaka
Image No. 70416-0003
Purchase Digital File
Author

Ebisubashi (Ebisu bridge) in Osaka, Japan. View towards Shinsaibashi and North Osaka. The large buildings on the horizon are the Buddhist temples Kita Mido and Minami Mido.

The photographer stood at the current location of the Kanidoraku crab restaurant.

The bridge was apparently named Ebisubashi because of its location on the road to Imamiya Ebisu Jinja, a very popular shrine for business people in Osaka.

Ebisu happened to be a derogatory term for foreigner in the mid 19th century. The country having just opened its doors to foreigners, the bridge’s name was changed to Eiseibashi in 1867 (Keio 3). This Political Correctness avant la lettre didn’t last long. Only three years later the original name was restored.1

Walking straight down the street across from the bridge you will eventually reach Shinsaibashi.

For another view of Ebisubashi, taken from a location on the left side of this photograph, see Dotonbori Canal.

Map of Osaka, 1893 (Meiji 26)
1893 (Meiji 26) Map of Osaka: 1. MInami Mido Temple; 2. Yotsubashi Bridges; 3. Shinsaibashi Bridge across the Nagahori Canal; 4. Dotonbori Canal; 5. Ebisubashi Bridge; 6. Namba Station.

see current map

Notes

1 Nagasaki University Library, Database of Old Photographs of Japan. Retrieved on 2008-02-16.

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Kjeld Duits

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Reference for Citations

Duits, Kjeld (). Osaka 1890s: Ebisubashi Bridge, OLD PHOTOS of JAPAN. Retrieved on October 26, 2025 (GMT) from https://www.oldphotosjapan.com/photos/42/osaka-1890s-ebisubashi-bridge

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